My Blue Heaven

Geek talk

Been trawling through geek articles this morning at work in an effort to make the new redesigned e.s.p.a.r.e.s website that I’m putting together as.. standards compliant and up-to-date with the best web practices and white-hat SEO (search engine optimization) as possible. Not an easy task when the whip is cracking as time runs short. I wish I had more time to read through the articles in A List Apart. Some are even rather amusing.. I just have to share this exerpt from an article about SEO.. regarding the W3C site:

“W3CÂ’s site houses a collection of proposals, drafts, and Recommendations, written by geeks for geeks. And when I say geeks, I donÂ’t mean ordinary web professionals like you and me. I mean geeks who make the rest of us look like Grandma on the first day SheÂ’s Got Mail.™”

Heeheehee…

With all this fairly recently found knowledge of standards in CSS2, XHTML etc etc.. I really should update my own website, which is probably a shocker if you ran it through a W3C standards check. Plus it’s littered with the misuse of tables.

Journeying back to fitness!

Anyway, enough geek talk! I went to dance class last night! First time in…. months! I went to Sheila’s jazz at Pineapple. Man… I felt like such a beginner. Reminded me of when I first started taking jazz classes, feeling totally clueless and un-coordinated. But it wasn’t too bad.. I got the routine in the end, yay! And I’m not quite as unfit as I thought I was. Still nowhere near as strong as before – somewhat flabby in places that once were tight and toned. *sniff* Ah well… I’m on the journey back to fit and healthy goodness again. I’ve also joined a gym here too… finally! I joined up with LA Fitness (platinum membership, which means I get to use any in London – and there’s one quite near my place) and will be attending my first Hatha Yoga class tonight! Yay for exercise and yay for feeling great!! 🙂

Current listening :: “Time” – Ben Folds

Working weekends already

Being at work on a Saturday kinda sucks. I guess its only a short term thing as there are some really majorly tight deadlines in the coming month. But I’m starting to get very bored today.. putting these info pages together is turning my brain to mush. Hence I’m finding some temporary solace in my blog.

It’s really not that bad I suppose – I didn’t have anything planned for today, was able to rock up later than normal, and it’s a much more relaxed atmosphere. Perhaps a little too relaxed, as I found myself drifting off a bit at one stage. But I think that is just end-of-week tiredness speaking. It’s been a long week.

Anyways, tonight is my work’s christmas party. We’re going to a comedy club called Jongleurs over in Battersea, which is only a few streets away from where I used to live! Quite close to our office here in Chelsea too. I think everyone is meeting here at work at about 6pm, which I suppose is perfectly convenient for those of us working today.

Oooh I’m christening my new leather fur coat with it’s debut at the xmas party tonight! I love this coat.. just so gorgeous. 🙂 Some drunk better not spill any beer on it or “somebody gonna get a hurt real bad”. 😛

*sigh* I miss my bf. Long distance relationships ain’t easy. But I suprised myself. Never thought I could do it. I’d always subscribed to the theory that a long distance relationships could never work. But it has. And he’s back from Frankfurt on Thursday.. when it will be long-distance no more. Yay. 🙂 Hrm.. this is rare. I haven’t talked much about him before have I? Well a girl has to have some secrets. 😛 I’ll tell you one interesting fact though – he’s an actor.

Current listening :: “Senorita” – Justin Timberlake

Y.A.R.Q (Yet Another Recycled Quiz)

This Is My Life, Rated
Life:	5.7
Mind:	5.1
Body:	5.5
Spirit:	4.6
Friends/Family:	3.5
Love:	7.7
Finance:	5.8
Take the Rate My Life Quiz

Hehe. Interesting scores. I wonder how differently I would have scored at the beginning of the year. I think my “body” score would definitely have been up in the blue. *sigh* Sucks that I just don’t have time to exercise much these days. No gym membership yet (can’t afford it) and no time to go even if I did. Haven’t even been dancing much yet… but I’m still settling into things, and I fully intend to get back into dance and exercise.

I’ve been thinking about home a fair bit this past week or 2. Just remembering things… people… friends… what life was like back then. Sometimes I think I was happier then. Sometimes I really miss Sydney – particularly my friends. Yes I do really miss you guys (if any of you still read this that is). Life really was great for those few months before I left for London. Had heaps of friends, met lots of cool people… was fit and healthy… full of energy. Not that its not been pretty cool being here too. Its just….. not as good as many people seem to rave about. For me anyway. There have been alot of downers during my time here. (Its been 6 months and 3 weeks exactly now. How time flies!) And yeh… maybe it’s just me, but I’m not really “having a ball” as many people have described coming to London. But I wonder… is it just me.. my mindset.. my negativity. How much difference can ones mindset and attitude make to ones life? Hrm.

Anyways… sometimes I rather dislike London. Its a huge city full of people… and yet you can feel so lonely. It’s expensive, and stressful. Maybe I’m not cut out for big metropolitan city living? Maybe I long to retire to a small sunny town by the sea. Hmm… that does sound appealing… particularly the sunny and sea part. 😛

Please excuse my morbid musings. I’m just typing things as I think about them. I made a list the other day about the things I love and hate about London. Lets see if I can find it…..

Things I love:

• Always so many things to do, so much on, so many opportunities to experience so many different things!
• Being able to get around so easily without a car on the fairly well-established public transport system
• The power of the pound in Europe, being so close to Europe and really cool places like Italy
• Salsa clubs
• Lots of gigs
• The independance
• My bf (well he *is* British!)

Things I hate:

• Transport/travel – takes ages, is crowded and tiring
• Unhealthier lifestyle, fast-paced and stressful – not laidback or peaceful
• Long working hrs – little time to exercise, spend at home and relax, or do things I enjoy
• Going home alone / being alone
• Cost of everthing – so friggin expensive!!
• The cold weather
• Cramped living spaces/buildings/everything!!

Hm… so thats my analysis of London so far. I’m sure there are many more things I have yet to discover. But it’s after midnight now, and this little girlie has to go sleep coz she’s already turned into a pumpkin. And on that note, g’nite all.

Oops final note. Today is my last day on dialup! Tomm I’m getting Homechoice broadband and digital tv installed.. yay! Job is going ok, but I’ve got big deadlines for this Wed and through Dec. Eeek!! Oh and lastly, I’m sick. Managed to get a cold from last week at work (heaters aren’t working properly). 🙁

Current listening :: “Nightingale” – Norah Jones

Cryptic blogging revisited

Welcome to the planet
Welcome to existence
Everyone’s here
Everyone’s here
Everybody’s watching you now
Everybody waits for you now
What happens next
What happens next

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened before

(Switchfoot – “Dare You To Move”)

Just not meant to be

Me and brown scarfs that is. I lost my precious and frequently-worn brown scarf today.. its probably taking a merry round the London tube – Victoria Line. Poo. I hate losing things. And this is the third.. yes, I repeat, THIRD, brown scarf that I’ve lost in the last few years. Grr.

*sigh* Maybe we’re just not meant to be.

Anyways. Its 7:15pm and I’m still at work. Methinks it is time to go home. I did get in at like 3pm today – was waiting around at home for the BT engineer to come fix the phone line (they said between 8 and 12, and he arrived at 1pm).. But it is fixed! Finally! I have internet at home (well.. dialup for now till my Homechoice digital package is installed)! Yay!

Current listening :: “Dip it low” – Christina Milian

Still young at heart! ;)

Heehee. Thanks to Vron for this amusing little quiz.

You Are 23 Years Old

20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what’s to come… love, work, and new experiences.

But tonight I’m off to do old-peoples stuff. I’m taking a trip to Ikea to buy some essential furnishings for my flat. Yay.